Fly catcheb



"(No Model.)

O.H.LEGGETT FLY UATUHBR- No.57OAB6; Patented N0v.3,1896.

K I 1'' d WITNESSES:

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLINTON H. LEGGETT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FLY-CATCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,486, dated November 3, 1896. Application filed September 5, 1896. Serial No. 604,942. (No model.)

To to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLINTON H. LEGGETT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fly-0atcl1ers and the Like,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for catching insects, and particularly to that class of such devices in which a sticky or adhesive material or paper is employed, and aims to provide improvements whereby such articles can be more conveniently and safely handled and used.

Heretofore it has been customary to lay flypaper on tables and other surfaces, the paper being sold with its adhesive faces folded together, and being separated or laid out flat for use. Aside from the unsightly appearance of paper in this form, it is found difficult to manipulate it without touching the fingers to the adhesive faces, and there is danger that the sheets will be blown about by aircurrents and come in contact with objects which may be injured by the adhesive.

My present invention in its preferred form provides a holder of cardboard or other suitable material having a folding cover or flap of suitable material, the adjacent faces of the holder and fiap being provided with fly-paper or adhesive, so that when the flap is in the closed position the adhesive is concealed and protected, and when the article is to be used the adhesive is exposed by bending down the fiap to the extent desired, preferably to a substantially horizontal position, so that it projects as a shelf. The article can be suspended from any suitable support, and when the cover is closed will be of ornamental or inoffensive appearance. .The cover can be closed to conceal the flies caught until the paper is exhausted, when the catcher may be thrown away or its paper renewed, as desired.

In practice the catchers will be so inexpensive that the substitution of a new one for an exhausted one will be preferable to renewal of the latter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view showing the preferred form of my improved insect-catcher in its inactive.

or closed position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof in. the active position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof in the position shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4.is a rear elevation thereof; and Fig. 5 is a vertical mid-section thereof cut on the line 5 5 in Fig. 4, and looking in the direction of the arrows. I will now describe in detail the preferred form of my present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which A represents the fly-catcher as a whole, B the body thereof, 0 and O the flaps thereof, D and D the adhesiveimaterial, E a suspender for the catcher, and F a supporter, which may -be a hook, gas-fixture, or any suitable object from which the catcher can be suspended with its body in a vertical position, if desired.

The body B is shown as a flat oblong piece of cardboard having a free outer border a surrounding its front face. One or more folding flaps or covers 0 O are carried on the front face of the body B and can be folded from a position against this face to any desired outward position. Two of these flaps are preferably used, each being shown as constructed of an oblong rectangular piece of cardboard of less length and height than. the body 13. A suitable folding connection G is made between the body and the adja cent flap, this being shown as accomplished by creasing, denting, or otherwise constructing the flap on the line bnear its lower edge, so that it will bend at this point when its upper edge is forced outward or inward. Below the folding-line I) the fiap has a narrow strip 0, which is rigidly fixed to the body B, preferably by both an adhesive and by eyelets or rivets (Z, which pass through the flap and body. may be any suitable material and may be applied to theflap .and body in any desired way. I prefer to use ordinary fly-paper sheets 6 having the material on their adjacent faces and glued or otherwise affixed to the adjacent faces of the body and flap. These sheets are shown as of the same dimensions as the flap and as separate sheets, the lower edges of which pass and are fas- The adhesive material D and D tened between the lower edge e of the flap and the adjacent portion of the body.

I prefer to provide each flap with a reinforce or brace II, of metal or other suitable mate rial, which will insure its retention in any desired position, and to likewise reinforce or stiffen the body B to prevent its warping or bending from its original fiat shape and to enable it to resist the stiffness of the flaps and their reinforces, which must be overcome in opening or closing the flaps. Preferably the reinforce II of the lowermost flap is bent at f under the lower edge thereof and of the body 13, these edges being shown as flush, and is extended thus upwardly in a portion I throughout the vertical height of and against the back face of the body B, at the top of which it has a forwardly-bent portion g and a downwardly-bent end h, embracing the front of the body, so that the one metallic piece serves both as the body-brace and the flap-brace. This piece is preferably fastened to the body at top by an eyelet or rivet J, which passes through the end of the piece and through the body, compressing the latter within the fold of the piece and providing an aperture by which the body can be suspended by the cord E or in any other suitable manner. At bottom the brace II is fastened by an eyelet or rivet t', which passes through the strip and the body and the lower part 'c of the flap below the folding-line Z). To facilitate bending of the brace it is suitably weakened at the bending-line by groov ing or perforating or otherwise suitably constructing it there, as shown at j. The upper end of the brace is best connected to the .iiap by bending it inward at Ya over the top edge of the flap and then downward at Z against the inner face of the flap and also over the face of the adhesive material, so that it may assist in retaining the latter in place, as well as constituting a clean and convenient handle portion to be grasped when the flap is to be folded. \Vhen a number of flaps are used, as shown, the brace of each upper one may be constructed as shown for the flap C, in which construction the brace lettered II is a short piece of metal identical in construction with the brace II, except that its lower end is bent against the inner face of the flap, as shown at m, and is clamped between the flap and body by a rivet or eyelet n passing through its folded end and through the bodybrace I. In other respects this brace bears the same letters of reference as does the brace II.

In use the insect catchers will be sold and handled with the flap or flaps closed, and in this condition may be suspended until it is necessary to open the flap, which can be done conveniently by grasping the top of the flapbrace with one hand and the body opposite the body-stiffener or opposite any of the portions 0 of the flap below the folding-line where the body is stiffened laterally by the double thickness of material. The flap can then be turned down to any extent and can be kept open until the paper is exhausted or until it is desirable, for the sake of appearance, to conceal the paper by folding the flap again to the closed position. The border a serves as a convenient and clean portion for grasping the body when it is to be shifted or manipulated.

It will be seen that my invention provides improvements in insect-catchers which can be readily and advantageously availed of, and it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular details of construction and arrangement set forth as constituting its preferred form, but that it can be adopted according to such modifications as circumstances or the judgment of those skilled in the art may dictate without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is- 1. In fly-catchers and like articles, a body of relatively stiff material, in combination with a folding flap carried thereby and adapted to be folded toward and from the face of said body, and an adhesive material for catching insects carried by said body opposite said flap and concealed when the latter is folded toward the body, and exposed when the flap is folded away therefrom.

2. In fly-catchers and the like, a relatively stiff body in combination with a flap carried thereby and folding toward and from the face thereof, and an adhesive material for catching insects carried by said flap on its side toward said body and concealed when the flap is folded toward the body and exposed when the flap is folded away therefrom.

8. In fly-catchers and other articles, a stiff body and a stiff flap carried thereby and foldin g toward and from the body, in combination with an adhesive material on the adjacent faces of the flap and body exposed when the flap is folded away from the body.

at. In fly-catehers, a stiff body adapted to be suspended in a vertical position, in combina tion with an adhesive material at the face of said body, and a cover for said material carried by said body, concealing such material when in the closed position, and exposing it when moved therefrom.

5. In iiy-catchers and the like, a body B in combination with a flap 0, having a portion a fixed to the body, a free portion beyond said portion 0, and a folding-line 1) between. said portions, and an adhesive material inclosed between the faces of the body and flap and exposed when the flap is folded from the body.

6. In fly-catchers, a paper body B having a brace I, in combination with a flap O hinged to said body, and adhesive material between said flap and body.

7. In fly-catchers, a stiff body, in combination with a flap connected thereto by a folding connection, and a brace II holding said flap in position.

8. In fly-catchers, a body B having a border a, in combination with a flap 0 carried on the face of said body within said border, and adhesive material between said flap and body. 4 T 1 v 5 9. In fly-catchers, a body 13 having a brace (JLINFI Oh LLGGE'l I, a flap 0 carried by said body and having a Vitnesses: brace I-I, fly-paper e on said body and flap, and WILLIAM MOAULIFFE, means whereby said body can be suspended. DANIEL W. HARRINGTON.

I11 Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing 16 witnesses. 

